Caravaggio: Pioneering Artist of Intense Passion and Controversy - Essay Sample

Introduction

As an influential and controversial Italian artist, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was sensitive, especially in issues involving artistic originality and is considered one of the leaders of modern painting. Caravaggio matched his lifestyle with the arts as he painted them with ultimate intensity. Working without the assistance of preparatory sketches and close observation of his models, Caravaggio produced exceptional paintings. Despite his violence and hot-headed with the law, he pioneered the application of lighting and representation of religious figures in his work with dark shadows on other parts of the canvas to focus enough attention on specific elements of his painting. Defined as the use of chiaroscuro, it becomes an integral part of Caravaggio's paintings as well as innovation. Although his painting styles and intensity of the painting turned Caravaggio into a witness of his fraught historical era, the Baroque, and Counter-Reformation, he remained innovative with the use of light and art. This paper will provide a discussion of Caravaggio's innovations as an artist.

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Caravaggio's innovative and extraordinary painting technique goes beyond specific genres and periods, and it influenced painters, filmmakers, and photographers in the 20th century. One of the major features seen in Caravaggio's innovation painting is the exceptional combination of chiaroscuro and tenebrism, which involved the potent combination of dark and light in producing a dramatic composition. Even though the chiaroscuro style was in practice way before the existence of Caravaggio, he made innovations to the stylistic element by ensuring an acute observation of the psychological and physical reality. With such features, Caravaggio combined theatrical dynamism with a distinct view of life, which allowed him to achieve a naturalism grit in the religious scenes and other genres as well. At around the first two decades in the 17th century, Caravaggio's artistic innovation is seen through the magnification of the frames, subdued palettes, and other figures that develop an intimate and compositions that significantly contributed to the widening appeal.

In his work as an artist, Caravaggio was awarded responsibility for the decoration of the Contarelli Chapel found in the San Luigi dei Francesi Church in Rome in 1597. With this daunting responsibility, Caravaggio attained the opportunity to apply his innovative skills and present three enormous paintings showing various scenes from the life of St. Mathew. These works completed in 1601 involved, "The Calling of St. Mathew," "St. Mather and the Angel," and "The Martyrdom of St. Mathew" (Caravaggio.org). In these specific paintings, Caravaggio develops innovative ways of presenting the events as he illuminates different light schemes to produce the type of work he wanted.

Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 1: The Calling of Saint Mathew, 1600 by Caravaggio (Caravaggio.org)

Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 2: Martyrdom of Saint Matthew, 1600 by Caravaggio (Caravaggio.org)

Specifically, The Calling of St. Mathew, 1600 painting is an illustration of the Gospel of Mathew depicting a moment when Mathew was inspired by Jesus to become his apostle (Caravaggio.org). In the art, Jesus (on the right) points towards Levi (the bearded man in the painting) and asks him to become apostle Mathew. In the illustration, Caravaggio maintains simple aesthetics by developing and innovating ideas from his earlier painting genre (Caravaggio.org). With his innovative use of light, it is manipulated whereby a ray is illuminated through the window covered in oilskin on their faces to draw attention to what is happening in the scene. This use of light and dark in the painting provides a visual contrast between the reaction between Christ and Levi. Caravaggio tries to portray psychological insight as he delivers the sacred trait in Christian art.

In the painting, The Martyrdom of St. Mathew, Caravaggio applies his artistic innovation once again (Caravaggio.org). With the visible confusion of movement and a pattern of contrasting light rays and darkness, they are stabilized in such a manner to provide specific features. In the painting, light and dark are preserved through the use of an altar, horizontal steps, and dark architectural background to offer a significant representation of the scene. Around the central figure in the painting, Caravaggio offers a proper composition of color and innovation as he applies an underpinning to the jumble of actions taking place. Through the use of an S-curve that seems to connect the body of the angel through his arm into the palm to St. Mathew's arms, this signifies the harshness of the assassination action (Caravaggio.org). More innovations are seen in this painting where the juxtaposition of the assassin's left hand, the saint's right hand, and the palms of the martyr cannot be seen as a coincidence since they provide proper representation and meaning of the painting. The burning candle might have been a representation of the omnipresence of God (Caravaggio.org). Through such elements, they signify the specific innovations made by Caravaggio through his paintings.

Conclusion

Through the application of darkness and realism in Caravaggio's painting, this accounts for the popularity found in his pieces of art. Also, with the diverse subject matter and revision of iconographies by Caravaggio, this has a significant influence on the development of his work and recognition by other international artists. As Caravaggio worked with live models, was fast, and scored essential guides by painting directly on the canvas, he had the unique ability to express scenes vividly without any misinformation or misinterpretation of the intended message. Through other paintings like Supper at Emmaus, The Resurrection of Lazarus, among others, Caravaggio's creativity is seen as he relates actual life events within his paintings. Caravaggio's innovations as an artist are based on his ability to use light and dark to deliver central figures in the arts.

Works Cited

Caravaggio.org. "Martyrdom of Saint Mathew, 1600 By Caravaggio". Caravaggio.Org, 2009, https://www.caravaggio.org/martyrdom-of-saint-matthew.jsp.

Caravaggio.org. "The Calling of Saint Mathew, 1600 By Caravaggio". Caravaggio.Org, 2009, https://www.caravaggio.org/the-calling-of-saint-mathew.jsp.